It is being organised under the aegis of Rajiv Gandhi Ground Water Research and Training Institute, Raipur (Chhattishgarh). CGWB regional director KB Biswas said the two-day event would witness three technical sessions, field work and interaction with participants.

According to the concept note on National Project on Aquifer Management (NAQUIM), the primary objective of the aquifer mapping exercise can be described as 'know your aquifer, manage your aquifer'.

Involvement of stake holders is the essence of the project. The involvement and participation of the community will infuse a sense of ownership among the stakeholders.

As per the report of the working group on Sustainable Ground Water Management, it is imperative to design an aquifer mapping programme with a clear-cut groundwater management purpose.

This will ensure that aquifer mapping does not remain an academic exercise and that it will seamlessly flow into a participatory groundwater management programme. The aquifer mapping approach can help integrate groundwater availability, with quality aspects.

The aquifer mapping is a process with a combination of geologic, geophysical, hydrologic and chemical field and laboratory analyses to characterize the quantity, quality and sustainability of groundwater in aquifers.

An accurate and comprehensive micro-level picture of groundwater in India through aquifer mapping in different hydrogeological settings will enable robust groundwater management plans at the appropriate scale to be devised and implemented.

This will help in achieving drinking water security, improve irrigation facility and sustainability in water resources development in large parts of rural India and many parts of urban India as well.

The aquifer mapping programme is important for planning suitable adaptation strategies to meet climate change also.

The crux of NAQUIM is groundwater management through community participation.